Job 13:1

JOB 13

JOB'S FOURTH DISCOURSE CONTINUED

There are three divisions in this chapter: (1) He accuses his "comforters" of forging lies (Job 13:1-12); (2) he again affirms his uprightness and righteousness (Job 13:13-19); and (3) he proclaimed his submissiveness to God's will (Job 13:20-28). This third paragraph was called by Scherer, "A new attack upon God";[1] but, of course, it is no such thing.

Job 13:1-12

JOB DENIES THAT HIS FRIENDS' ALLEGATIONS ARE TRUE

"Lo, mine eye hath seen all this,

Mine ear hath heard and understood it.

What ye know, the same do I know also:

I am not inferior to you.

Surely I would speak to the Almighty,

And I desire to reason with God.

But ye are forgers of lies;

Ye are all physicians of no value.

Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace!

And it would be your wisdom.

Hear now my reasoning,

And hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

Will ye speak unrighteously for God,

And talk deceitfully for him?

Will ye show partiality to him?

Will ye contend for God?

Is it good that he should search you out?

Or, as one deceiveth a man, will ye deceive him?

He will surely reprove you,

If ye do secretly show partiality.

Shall not his majesty make you afraid,

And his dread fall upon you?

Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ashes.

Your defenses are defenses of clay."

"Ye are forgers of lies" (Job 13:4). This is the topic sentence of the whole paragraph. Literature has no more severe a castigation of irresponsible language than this which Job here heaped upon his friends. He called them physicians of no value (Job 13:4), stated that their silence had more wisdom in it than their words (Job 13:5), indicated that they were speaking unrighteously and deceitfully for God (Job 13:7), noted that God would certainly reprove them (Job 13:10), flatly declared that their proverbs were proverbs of ashes, and that their defenses were defenses of clay (Job 13:12).

"Will ye show partiality ... contend for God" (Job 13:8)? Job here spoke of their untruthful allegation that God always dealt with men in this life according to their character, a crooked proposition indeed, as proved by God's great blessings upon thieves, robbers, and all kinds of wicked men. In the view of his friends, they were defending God's honor in this affirmation; but in these last few verses of the paragraph, Job appealed to their consciences, that in the majesty of God and their fear of him, they should be ashamed and afraid to defend such a lie.

JOB AGAIN AFFIRMS THAT HE IS RIGHTEOUS

In these affirmations, Job does not claim sinless perfection; because, he mentioned the iniquities of his youth (Job 13:26). What he does affirm is that the terrible misfortunes which have come upon him could not possibly have resulted from any gross wickedness on his part. In the concluding revelation, God Himself allowed the fact of Job's righteousness (Job 42).